Solderless multi-terminal plugs and method of connecting wires thereto



6 s. N. BUCHANAN ETAL 3,235,832

SDLDERLESS MULTITERMINAL PLUGS AND METHOD OF CONNECTING WIRES THERETOFiled July 27, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll l M m AL JHWf Zn 5 1% R TM W HfiWv M lll lmam. G a H "a ||||T4. 2 n 7 Feb. 15, 1966 s. N. BUC N ETAL3,235,832

SOLDERLESS LTI-TE IN P 5 AND METHOD OF NECTING WIRES RETO Filed y 1962 sShe-sts-She-et s Ham F/Q/A' INVENTORS ATTORNEY United States PatentSOLDERLESS MULTl-TERMINAL PLUGS AND METHOD OF CONNECTING WIRES THERETOStephen N. Buchanan, 5141 Massachusetts Ave. NW.,

Westmoreland Hills, Md., and Walter S. Paw],

10480 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, Md. Filed July 27, 1962, Ser. No.212,867 Claims. (Cl. 33964) This invention relates to the constructionof multi-terminal plugs and methods of solderless connection of thewires to these terminals and tools therefor.

The object of this invention is to eliminate the soldering of wires tothe terminals of multi-terrninal plugs by stepping the terminal blocksof these plugs on their wire terminal faces so as to raise the bases ofthe protruding terminal ends in each succeeding row behind the outerrow, to the level of the top of the ends in the row in front of it, thusproviding easy access to each row of terminal ends from the outer sideof the block, with a special tool for fixing the wire in each terminal.

A further object is thus to pyramid the rows of terminal ends in asymmetrical pattern about the center of circular or polygonal blocks andabout the longitudinal axis of oblong blocks.

A further object is to correspondingly step the plug face of a blockinwardly so as to enable the use of terminals of the same length in allthe rows of the block in one block, preferably the male plug block, toprovide a protective hollow for the protruding male plugs, in whichhollow the male plugs are protected against damage in handling, thefemale plug block being pyramided outwardly to fit into this hollow forconnection of the protruding male plugs with the hollow female plugswhich are set ino the faces of the steps of the femal plug block.

A further object is to make both blocks inwardly stepped on theiradjacent faces, so as to be able to use the same length of terminals inall the rows in each block, and provide light insulated extension rodsof various lengths on the plugs of one block for connection with theplugs in the other plug block, thus eliminating the weight of the massof block material that these lightly insulated rods, displace in thisform of terminal plug.

A further object is to use a tool with jaws that will fit around a wireterminal end with sufiicient clearance to be brought down over one suchend in relatively opened condition and then closed around this tubularend in which a wire has been inseried, in order to dent the tube at oneside tightly into the wire for a strong high-pressure contact. A furtherobject is to use the terminal ends on both sides of the one beingdented, as guides for corresponding shoulders on the tool jaws, tofacilitate centering the jaws over the end to be dented.

Other and more specific objects will appear in the following detaileddescription of the invention as illustrated in the several views of thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a face view of a circular terminal block made in accordancewith the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a plug assembly as taken on the line22 of FIG. 1,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are similar views of a rectangular terminal block,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are similar views of a polygonal terminal block,

3,235,832 Patented Feb. 15, 1966 FIG. 7 is a sectional view of male andfemale block plug terminals,

FIG. 8 shows in side elevation a denting tool applied to a wireterminal,

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the same assembly,

FIG. 10 is a sectional view through the jaws taken on the line 1010 ofFIG. 9,

FIG. 11 is a plan view of another form of denting tool being applied toa terminal tube,

FIG. 12 is a different form of tool similarly applied,

FIG. 13 is a side view thereof,

FIG. 14 is a detail sectional view of the tool jaws taken on the line1414in FIG. 12,

FIG. 15 is a side view of the same tool with the handles angularlyoffset from the jaws for more convenient operation over the steps of theblock, and

FIG. 16 is a section similar to FIG. 2 of a portion of a modified formof blocks, using insulated conductor pins extending through the hollowspace between the plugs to connect the respective terminal plugstogether when the plug connection is made.

The present plug blocks may take any form crosswise and are formed withsteps for each successive row of terminals back of the outer row towardthe center of the block. FIG. 1 shows a distribution pattern of rows ina circular block 20, where the circumferential or outer row of terminalends 22 extends from the lowest step 24, the successive rows back tothis row toward the center of the block extending from steps 26, 28, 30and 32, which are each substantially at the level of the top of theterminal ends 22 in the row in front of it.

A similarly stepped conformation raises the successively shorter rows ofterminal ends 22 back of the peripherally outer row 34, in the polygonalform of plug block 36 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

In the rectangular form 38 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the successive rowsback of the outer rows 42 of terminal ends 22 toward the longitudinalaxis 40 extend from steps raised substantially to the top of theterminal ends 22 in the preceding rows.

Quick disconnect casings may be provided of any wellknown types, or asillustrated in section in FIGS. 2., 4 and 6, having cable openings 21.

The terminal pins 44 with male plug ends 46 and the terminal pins 48with female plug ends 50, used in the outer rows in any form of blockmay be made of a standard short shank length as shown in enlargedsectional view in FIG. 7. Each pin 44 and 48 is provided with a wireterminal end 22 in the outer row of terminal ends of each block.

In the form of blocks shown in FIG. 6, the terminal pins having wireterminal ends 22 in the successively raised steps toward the center ofthe blocks have correspondingly longer shanks. Terminal pins 44 44 44and 44 having male plug ends mating with the alined female plug ends ofterminals pins 48 48 48 and 48 respectively, in opposed flat plug faces52 and 54 of the blocks 36.

While a tubular end is shown as the wire terminal end 22 of the terminalpins here illustrated, adapted for receiving the bared end of a wire 55,any other suitable form of wireterminal ends may be formed on theseterminal pins. The purpose of stepping the rows of terminal ends is tofacilitate the fixing of the wires to the terminal ends by making themmore accessible than they have been in the prior art. The stepping ofthe rows furthermore provides an increased insulator surface distancebetween pins, so

that the lateral spacing may be considerably reduced without danger ofsurface current leakage between the pins, so that a more compact plugblock may now be made for the required number of terminal pins in theblock.

The plug end faces 52 and 54 have substantially identical counterborepockets 56 in the oversize bores 58 through the block for looselyreceiving the shanks of the terminal pins. The lengths of these bores 58correspond to the thickness of the block at the several steps of theblock.

To provide some protection of the protruding male plug ends when theblocks are disconnected, the block 20 has its male plug face steppedinwardly, forming a protective hollow for the male plug ends, the outerrow of these ends being surrounded by the peripheral shoulder 62 on thereinforcing collar 64. The terminal pins 44 are all of the same minimumlength. The mating plug block 60 is stepped outwardly to fit into thehollow inwardly stepped plug end face of block 20. Block 60 requires adifferent length of terminal pins for the different steps of the block,viz. pins 48 48 48 and 48 The terminal pins have a loose fit in thebores 58 for limited lateral adjustment at their plug ends to facilitatealignment of corresponding plug ends when plugging blocks together.Counterbores 56 in the plug faces of each block provide pockets formingshoulders 57 against which an upset ridge 59 on the pins is engaged,upon assembly of each pin as its wire terminal end 22 is passed throughthe bore 58, and the outer edges of a collar 53 fixed at the properplace on the pin, is swayed outwardly to fit loosely over the end ofbore 58, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 7.

In order to lighten the weight of block 60, it may be hollowed out byinward steps like block 20, as shown in FIG. 16, and insulated extensionplug pins 62, 62 62 and 62 are used in this case, between thecorresponding terminal pins 44 and 48. These extension plug pins areeach provided with a male plug end 46 and a female plug end 50, and theinsulating tubes are counterbored at their ends to form pockets 56 forthe plug ends 46 and 50.

The terminal ends 2 are tubular and are provided with peep holes 23 forinspection when inserting a wire, to see that it is fully pushed inbefore denting the tubular end over into the side of the wire.

The tool for fixing the wire in the tubular end is provided with a pairof jaws 64 and 66 adapted to fit around a tubular end 22 and havingplier handles 68 pivoted at 70. One of the jaws has an inwardlyprotruding edge 72 for pressing into one side of the tubular end 22 asthe jaws are moved together around the end 22, thus denting the tubularend in with the high leverage provided by the short jaws to depress thedent firmly into the side of the wire 55. The jaws are provided withguide shoulders 74 for sliding against the adjacent tubular ends toguide the jaws over the end 22 between them, and the denting protrusionis brought to the proper level of the tubular end' 22, when the jaws ofthe tool are brought down flush on the face of the block. The handles 68are angularly formed to extend upwardly from the plane of the jaws, tofacilitate working from the top of the tubular ends, as shown in FIGS. 8and 9.

The tool may take other forms. FIG, 11 illustrates a form similar tothat shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 but for the handles 76 which are in the sameplane with the jaws 65 and 67.

The jaws 78 and 80 in the tools illustrated in FIGS. 12 to are operatedby handles 81 in the vertical plane, the hooked jaw 78 being loweredbehind the tubular end 22 with the jaws open, and as they are closed thecam jaw 80 dents the near side of the tubular end 22 in against a wirethat is inserted therein for a high pressure contact therewith.

The handles 82 in FIG. 15 extend at an angle upwardly from the plane ofthe block face, to facilitate using the tool from the top of the tubularends 22.

Many obvious modifications in the form and arrangement of parts of thepresent blocks may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A wire terminal plug comprising a terminal plug block having a wireterminal face having a stepped configuration defining a series of raisedledges, a plurality of terminal plug elements mounted in said plug blockand having a terminal end extending out of said raised ledges forreceiving the end of a wire and adapted to have the wire fixed thereto,the terminal ends in a lower ledge extending only to the level of thenext higher ledge, said terminal plug elements extending through theterminal plug block, said terminal plug block having a plug face, theplug face being flat, each plug element having a plug end at the plugface of said block adapted to be connected to a mating plug element of aterminal plug element in a mating terminal plug.

2. A wire terminal plug as claimed in claim 1 in which said terminalplug block has a plurality of bores therethrough corresponding in numberto the number of terminal plug plug elements, each bore having a smallerdiameter portion and a larger diameter portion defining a shouldertherebetween, and each terminal plug element having an enlarged portionthereon abutting against said shoulder and having a flange fittedtightly thereon and bent over and in engagement with the face of saidterminal plug block out of which the smaller diameter portion of saidbore opens for mounting said terminal plug element in said bore forpermitting movement of the ends of said plug element laterally of thebore.

3. A wire terminal plug comprising a terminal plug block having a wireterminal face having a stepped configuration defining a series of raisedledges, a plurality of terminal plug elements mounted in said plug blockand having a terminal end extending out of said raised ledges forreceiving the end of a wire and adapted to have the wire fixed thereto,the terminal ends in a lower ledge extending only to the level of thenext higher ledge, said terminal plug elements extending through theterminal plug block, said terminal plug block having a plug face, theplug face having an inwardly stepped face corresponding to the steppedconfiguration of the wire terminal face, the terminal plugs in all ofthe ledges being the same length, each plug element having a plug end atthe plug face of said block adapted to be connected to a mating plugelement of a terminal plug element in a mating terminal plug.

4. A wire terminal plug as claimed in claim 3 and a plurality ofextension pins equal in number to the number of terminal plug elementsin the recessed portion of said plug block said extension pins havingends complementary to the plug ends of the terminal plug elements insaid plug face, said extension pins being adapted to connect withcorresponding plug ends in an opposing plug block having the sameconfiguration as said plug block.

5. A wire terminal plug comprising a terminal plug block having a wireterminal face having a stepped configuration defining a series of raisedledges, a plurality of terminal plug elements mounted in said plug blockand having a terminal end extending out of said raised ledges forreceiving the end of a Wire and adapted to have the wire fixed thereto,the terminal ends in a lower ledge extending only to the level of thenext higher ledge, said terminal plug elements extending through theterminal plug block, said terminal plug block having a plug face, theplug face having an outwardly stepped face adapted to mate with aninwardly stepped plug face having an inwardly stepped plug face with acorresponding stepped shape, each plug element having a plug end at theplug face of said block adapted to be connected 5 to a mating plugelement of a terminal plug element in a mating terminal plug.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,955,695 4/1934Veling 81-15 2,435,562 2/1948 Swengel 8115 2,437,358 3/1948 Mowery339-192 X 6 10/1956 Luebking 339198 6/1957 Wells 339276 12/1959 Steans339192 X 1/1962 Nava et a1. 33964 FOREIGN PATENTS 805,422 12/1958 GreatBritain.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

1. A WIRE TERMINAL PLUG COMPRISING A TERMINAL PLUG BLOCK HAVING A WIRETERMINAL FACE HAVING A STEPPED CONFIGURATION DEFINING A SERIES OF RAISEDLEDGES, A PLURALITY OF TERMINAL PLUG ELEMENTS MOUNTED IN SAID PLUG BLOCKAND HAVING A TERMINAL END EXTENDING OUT OF SAID RAISED LEDGES FORRECEIVING THE END OF WIRE AND ADAPTED TO HAVE THE WIRE FIXED THERETO,THE TERMINAL ENDS IN A LOWER LEDGE EXTENDING ONLY TO THE LEVEL OF THENEXT HIGHER